The United Nations Assistant Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) in its latest report has said that at least 10,453 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in 2017 which shows, for the first time, a decrease of 9 percent in civilian casualties.

A security conference is being held in capital Kabul attended by military chiefs from some neighboring countries and NATO representatives to plot a course on how to deal with escalating terrorism in the region.

Afghan officials are carrying out at least two tracks of talks with the Taliban, The Associated Press has learned, even after a month of brutal bombings and attacks by the militants that killed nearly 200 and despite President Donald Trump’s angry rejection of any negotiations for now.

There are reports the U.S. Army is readying about a thousand additional troops for deployment to Afghanistan where they will link up with some 14,000 other U.S. service members tasked with an unachievable mission.

Fighting in Afghanistan has escalated with US and Afghan officials tipping 2018 to be a "game-changer" as relentless airstrikes pummel Islamist militant groups -- but others warn the 16-year war has simply become a more violent stalemate.